NOC Group Executive Sous Chef, Patrick Tang on NOC’s Food Philosophy

NOC Group Executive Sous Chef, Patrick Tang on NOC’s Food Philosophy

In this fast-paced city where the only constant is change, to sit down at your favourite coffee space with your go-to coffee paired with a delightful brunch and indulging pastries is simply satisfying.

We sat down with our Group Executive Sous Chef, Patrick Tang this week on sharing his thoughts on the philosophy behind NOC’s food curation by keeping its dishes simple, fulfilling and consistently delicious.

Q. What is the concept behind NOC’s summer new additions?

With the aim of bringing in refreshing summer flavours to the table, we have added two new items to our menu: Fruity Avocado Puree Bowl and Porcini Mushroom Risotto as well as the renewal of our Cobb Bowl family – roasted cauliflower paired with a housemade honey and thyme dressing freshly made by our chefs. Curating seasonal dishes not only brings out the best of the food’s quality but adheres to our call for sustainable dishes.

Q. What is the process of curating a menu?

We are meticulous about the quality of our food and uncompromising on serving the same high-quality dishes across each of our stores. Thus, we have put the most thought into sourcing the finest ingredients to be transformed into a menu of delectables to satisfy the varying palettes of our customers.

We begin the process of curating a new menu by pulling out 3 to 5 items quarterly after reviewing them, we then explore new dishes where we consider the availability of fresh ingredients, culinary trends, customer preferences as well as operational viability. Identifying and assessing the potential operational hurdles ahead of launching new items is crucial in upholding the standard of the food we serve. We aim to create a parallel experience in which our food is as appreciated as our specialty coffee and the space itself.

Q. Which part of the menu curation process do you find most challenging?

While bringing novelty to the table is always on top of our minds, balancing between change and consistency is always a challenge. Nevertheless, we strive to uphold consistency while being uncompromising on these key pillars: food quality, variety and serving time. We value feedback, both positive and negative, that motivates us beyond excellence. From experience, the strictly fifteen-item food menu plus the quarterly update is optimal in providing refreshing options to our customers, while keeping their all-time favourite available.

Q. What are your guiding principles behind co-leading the kitchen team in delivering excellence to customers?

From first joining NOC six years ago as Head Chef till this day where I am more than proud to be leading my kitchen crew as the Group Executive Sous Chef along with Group Executive Chef Jim Jim in achieving excellence.

“360-degree communication” is key to attaining the best results, which includes feedback from customers, idea exchange between our fellow crew members as well as with management.

We adhere strictly to our own “3 NOs” when it comes to menu curation: no shells, no bones and no fried-food. Instead, we curate simple, healthy, nutritious and sustainable dishes that best reflect our values. By avoiding strong-flavoured dishes that would bland the aroma of coffee, we are able to deliver an unparalleled coffee experience which sets us apart from diners. We also never intend our baristas to just be waiting tables, rather, being all-rounded and deliver the best overall coffee experience to our customers. Over the years, I have also come to understand that nothing is more important than your customers’ feelings. At the end of the day, without our loyal customers, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Q. What is your favourite dish from the menu?

My personal favourite is our Golden Sando where you get pure enjoyment biting into a mouthful of nutrients: scrambled eggs, smashed avocado, cheese and brioche that boost your energy to start the day. The golden toast never fails to brighten my mood in the morning. It also pairs perfectly with coffee without covering the aroma of it.

Moving forward, NOC strives to deliver a pure, undistracted coffee experience and so does the food we serve where we insist in bringing in the simplest form of happiness to our customers.